Assembly for mounting an advertisement sheet and a method thereof

ABSTRACT

The present invention disclosed an assembly useful for mounting an advertisement sheet of a side-wall of a cargo container and to a rapid, non-destructive and reversible method for its deployment thereof. More specifically, said novel assembly is having at least one anchoring device adapted to mate the frame of said sheet with the frame of said container, by a means of one or more boom-pockets of said container. Said assembly and method eliminate any permanent damage or alternation of said container, and further free of pre-requirement of exposing the inner portion of said container in order to mount the said sheet on said wall.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an assembly especially useful formounting an advertisement sheet and to a method thereof The presetinvention especially relates to said assembly adapted for mounting anadvertisement on a wall of a transport container and to a rapid,non-destructive and reversible method for its deployment thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Outdoor advertisement is characterized by an ever-increasing demand, yetthe accessibility of potential customers to an immediately available,cheap and effective platform for the said advertisement is rather low.U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,751 to Hicks and U.S. Pat. No. 6,305,111 to Opdahlpresent a rigid or elastic substrates upon which an advertising messagemay be printed in attachable to the side of a truck in a way thatprevents the substrate from flapping when the truck is moving at highspeeds. The mounting of said substrate is enabled by affixing anextended recess in the side wall of the truck. Said affixing techniquesare evolved with drilling the wall and mounting an anchoring device. Adevice useful for anchoring said substrate without permanent alternationof said wall or any other member of the wall infrastructure was not yetpresented. U.S. Pat. No. 6,276,082 to Richards et al. and otherinventions present a mounting for a sheet that has a bead about itsperiphery, having frame members and an elongated retainer includes aflange to be permanently affixed to the surface of a truck's wall. Saidconstruction is not enabling to mount said device reversibly and rapidlyon the outer side of a container without altering the shape of the wallor drilling holes in it. Moreover, mounting of said frame to a planarwall of a container require the installer to be inside said container,and thus eliminates the possibility to install said devices in sealedcontainers. It acknowledged that cargo containers are most rapidlyshipped in order to decrease transport and storage costs. Additionally,said cargo container is to be subject to surface transported via trucksand trails across several counties, or more specifically, across severaladvertisement regions. Thus, using a cargo container as a cost-effectiveboard for rapid, and multi regional advertisement is limited.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is thus the object of the present invention to present a usefulassembly, especially adapted for a rapid, reversible and non-destructivemounting of an advertisement sheet on a wall of a sealed container asdefined in the present invention, an particularly a cargo container,having at least one anchoring device adapted to mate with saidcontainer, without causing any permanent damage or alternation of saidcontainer. In a most preferred embodiment of the present invention, saidcontainer has boom-pockets, especially designed to enable the lifting ofsaid container by a cargo boom, wherein said boom-pockets have agradually elliptical opening. The assembly is having an anchoringdevice, adapted to reversible and non-destructive mate with said pocket;a cable; and an advertisement sheet having sleeves in at least two ofits edges, adapted to accommodate said cable.

According another preferred embodiment of the present invention, saidanchoring device is having a pin member comprising a proximal rimcharacterized by having a lever and gradually round shape opening,adapted to accommodate a frame cable; and a distal rim characterized bya gradually elliptical cross section. Said anchoring device is furthercharacterized with a distal rim which is adapted to mate with saidelliptical opening of the boom pocket by means of shape and size, sowhen said distal rim is in congruence with said pocket, the insertion ofsaid pin into said opening is enabled; and when said pin is twisted toabout 90° from said congruence configuration, the exit of said pin fromsaid pocket is prevented.

According another preferred embodiment of the present invention, saidanchoring device is having gradually a round shape cross section, andcomprising a proximal rim having a lever, and an opening adapted toaccommodate a frame cable; and a distal rim having anchors in connectionwith said lever. The device also adapted so said anchors are useful tobe located either inside the bore of said device, or alternatively, topartly protrude outside of said bore, thus to enable the anchoring ofsaid device inside the boom-pocket of the container.

It is further acknowledged that the assembly defined above is useful formounting an advertisement sheet having a sleeve is its edge, on a sidewall of container comprising an anchoring device having means toreversible and non-destructive mating of said sheet with said container;and a cable, having means to connect said sleeve and said anchoringdevice. Said assembly may additionally comprise of a ratchet havingmeans to provide tension to said cable. Said ratchet is anchored,according a preferred mode of the present invention, to a boom-pocket bymeans of the anchoring device.

It is also appreciated that the aforementioned anchoring device may beadapted to mate the advertisement sheet with the wall of the containerby means selected from vacuum and magnetic force. The said magneticforce is possibly enabled by means of electromagnets that are incommunication with an electric source, selected from the vehicle batteryor any other battery designed to supply sufficient power to saidelectromagnets.

The assembly according to the present invention is alternatively havingmeans to be dressed on said container. Said means are comprises at leastone wing to be mounted on the container said wall and an anchoringdevice, designed to be affixed on either the side wall or the upper wallof said container.

According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, theassembly hereto defined comprising at least one adapter, having eitherreversible or irreversible means to mount the opening accommodates thecable and/or a ratchet, on a suitable board (such as walls,constructions, truck side walls etc.).

It is in the scope of the present invention that the above-definedassembly comprising a wind deflector having means to attach at least onerim of the sheet to the wall of the container. Additionally oralternatively, said assembly may comprise of means to illuminate saidadvertisement sheet.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide anadvertisement sheet mounted by an anchoring assembly as defined above.

Lastly, an object of the present invention is to provide a useful methodfor the deployment of the anchoring device as defined above, comprisingmating the advertisement sheet by means of said anchoring device withoutany constant damage or any alternation of said container.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, said methodcomprises of mating the anchoring devices defined above to the wall ofthe container, by means of inserting each of said anchoring device,comprising gradually elliptical end at its distal rim, to the opening ofa boom-pocket, comprising gradually elliptical cross section, so saidelliptical end of said pin is congruence to the gradually ellipticalopening; twisting said pin member by means of its lever to about 90°,respectively to said congruence position, so said device in anchored insaid boom-pocket; inserting a cable through the sleeve of theadvertisement sheet and to the opening located in the proximal end ofeach of said anchoring device; and lastly, locking said cable so saidadvertisement is effectively mounted on said side wall of the container.According to the present invention, said locking is specifically enabledby means of operating a ratchet.

It is further in the scope of the present invention wherein the methoddefined above comprising the steps of inserting each of said anchoringdevice, to the opening of a boom-pocket; and twisting the lever of saiddevice and thus anchoring the device in said boom-pocket.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 presents a side and top view (A) of a standard cargo containerand the same (B) wherein the assembly according to the presentinvention, comprising the advertisement sheet (5), is mounted on theside wall (1) of said container.

FIG. 2 present a side view of the anchoring device according to onepreferred embodiment of the present invention and the method for itsdeployment in the boom pocket of the container.

FIG. 3 present a side view of the anchoring device according to anotherpreferred embodiment of the present invention, comprising a lever (23)and lock mechanism (27).

FIG. 4 present a side view of the anchoring device according to anotherpreferred embodiment of the present invention, comprising a key (23A),pulley accommodating the cable (21) and lock mechanism (27).

FIG. 5 present a side view of the anchoring device according to anotherpreferred embodiment of the present invention, comprising a lever (23),pulley accommodating the cable (21) and lock mechanism (22A).

FIG. 6 present a side and top view of a standard container wherein asheet advertisement is mounted on the upper wall and to two oppositeside walls and rear wall of a standard cargo container.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following description is provided, along all chapters of the presentinvention, to enable any person skilled in the art to make use saidinvention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor ofcarrying out this invention. Various modifications, however, will remainapparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles ofthe present invention have been defined specifically to provide for theassembly according to the present invention.

The present invention relates to an assembly useful for mounting anadvertisement sheet of a side-wall of a cargo container and to a rapid,non-destructive and reversible method for its deployment thereof. Morespecifically, said novel assembly is having at least one anchoringdevice adapted to mate the frame of said sheet with the frame of saidcontainer, by a means of one or more boom-pockets of said container.Said assembly and method eliminate any permanent damage or alternationof said container, and further free of pre-requirement of exposing theinner portion of said container in order to mount the said sheet on saidwall.

The terms ‘rapid’, ‘reversible’ and ‘non-destructive mounting’ isreferring any procedures require mounting the said advertisement sheeton a wall adapted for said mounting, in a manner said wall in notpermanently altered by any means. For example, the mounting devicedescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,354 may be in use.

The term container is preferably referring in the present invention to astandard cargo container comprising boom pockets. It is still in thescope of the present invention wherein the term container is refeltingalso to any transportable receptacle means such as truck panels,billboards, or trailers, and to any wall, preferably having round,polygonal or gradually elliptical pockets adapted to accommodate theencoring devices as defined in the present invention.

The term “gradually round” and “gradually elliptical” is referring inthe present invention to any suitable shape enabling the rapid insertionof the said anchoring device into the boom-pocket and then to enable theaffixing of said anchoring device in said pocket. Although polygonalshapes are also possible, round shapes comprising also semi-ellipticalshapes and other various elliptical shapes are preferred in the presentinvention.

It is well in the scope of the present invention wherein theadvertisement sheet comprising sleeves. The term ‘sleeves’ is herebyreferred to any means useful for connecting the said advertisement sheetwith a cable or any other frame network. Said advertisement is mountedthe aforementioned container by means of anchoring device in connectionwith said advertisement sheet. The connecting means are preferablycomprising a strong cable adapted to be accommodate inside sleeves,preferably located in the edge of said advertisement sheet. The saidsheet is referring, according to the present invention, to sleeve,pocket, opening or any other means adapted to connect the sheet with thecable.

Reference is made now to FIG. 1 presenting a general scheme of astandard transport container (A) comprising a metallic frame (2). Saidframe usually comprises of top-end and bottom-end transverse members,corner structures and corner fitting (10 a). Said container alsocomprising side walls (1, for example) and at least one end door (3),usually made of aluminum substances. Said corner fitting (10 a)comprising boom pocket, usually 24 such pockets, located in each cornerof said side wall. Each of said boom pocket is having a graduallyelliptical opening cut (10 b), adapted to fit the means of said boom tolift said container.

It is acknowledged that according to the present invention, said termcontainer is equally referring any container made of suitable material,including, yet not limited to metal matrixes as iron or aluminum ware,polymer or composite materials, suitable to contain and to transportcargo. It is further ackowledged that in particularly, said container isreferred to a standard cargo container having the know dimensions of 20or 40 feet long.

FIG. 1 furtherly presents (B) side view of the said container, whereinan advertisement sheet (5) is mounted on one side wall of said container(1). The outer face of said sheet (5) is preferably having saidadvertisement. Said sheet (5) is mounted on said wall (1) by means ofanchoring assembly, having according one preferred embodiment of thepresent invention a frame (6). Said frame is enabled, according to apreferred embodiment of the present invention, by means of a sleevelocated in the edge of said sheet and an long and strong cableaccommodated inside said sleeve. According to another preferredembodiment of the present invention said cable is affixed on said wall(1) be means of the assembly defined in the present invention. It is inthe scope of the present invention wherein the anchoring assemblyadditionally comprising means to lock the device so no an authorizedused, and particularly opening of said advertisement is enabled.

It is acknowledge thus that said frame (6) is enabled by a cable, namelya frame cable. Nevertheless, other frames are suitable according to thepresent invention. Any either elastic or rigid frame, made of metalware, polymers, composite materials, fabrics etc. is thus suitable to beimplemented in said advertisement sheet. In the scope of the inventionwherein the cable is locked in one anchoring device, preferably the onecomprising the ratchet. The cable is further inserted inside sleeves ofthe advertisement sheet, wherein at each corner of the container thecable is grasped by an opening located in the proximal rim of theanchoring device. Said opening is a bore having a gradually round crosssection, or a pulley, preferably a pulley in communication with an axlehaving a lager. In the end of the way, the cable is attached to thepulley of the ratchet or winch providing the means to pull the cable andto enable a tense frame for the advertisement sheet.

FIG. 2 schematically presents the corner fitting (10 a) attached to atleast one of said side wall (1) of the container. Said corner fitting isattached to a boom pocket having interalia a bottom, which is usually anintegrative part of the container's side wall (1), and an outer board(10 a), having a gradually elliptical opening in its middle (10 b). Incase of lifting the container, the boom is mate with the container bymeans of said boom pocket. According a preferred embodiment of thepresent invention, the aforementioned assembly has interalia a pinmember. Said pin member is schematically presented in FIG. D andgenerally comprising the following: (a) proximal rim characterized bygradually round shape cross section (20) having a lever (23); and (b)distal rim, comprising a member having a gradually elliptical crosssection (22). It is acknowledge that at least in one of said anchoringdevice, said pin comprises of an opening (21) designed to accommodatethe cable (40). The proximal rim of said pin member has said ellipticalcross section (20), is adapted to fit said elliptical opening of theboom pocket of the container (10 b) by means of shape and size, sowhereas said proximal rim is in congruence with said pocket (See FIG.B), the insertion of said pin into said opening is enabled. Wherein saidpin is twisted to about 90° from said congruence configuration (See FIG.C) the exit of said pin from said pocket is avoided.

The lever (23) is designed to enable the insertion of the pin to saidpocket, to allow its rotation and to secure its lock in said lockconfiguration. Thus, according a preferred embodiment of the presentinvention said lever is communication with the elliptical member (22) bymeans of assembly having also a connecting cable (24) which may containalso a spring (25).

Reference is made now to FIG. 3, schematically presenting a crosssection of the assembly according to the present invention. Theanchoring device defined above is having gradually round shape crosssection, and comprising (a) proximal rim having a lever (23); and (b)distal rim having anchors (27) in connection with said lever. Saiddevice is designed to be located either inside the bore of said memberin a configuration providing the insertion or escape of said device fromthe boom pocket (See slide A), or alternatively, to partly protrude ofsaid bore. In this configuration, the anchors are fastening the deviceinside the pocket (See slide B). FIG. 3 shows the basic concept of theaction-mechanism of said device: twisting the lever downward (30)facilitated by joints 28 and 29, is followed with the elevation of themember (26) so the at least two anchors (27) are pushed aside through anopening (32).

It is acknowledged that said device may have an opening (21) designed toaccommodate a frame cable (40) which provide a tension to the frame ofthe advertisement sheet and additionally or alternatively provide meansto anchor said sheet to the side wall of the container.

Reference is made now to FIG. 4, presenting the side view of theanchoring device according one preferred embodiment of the presentinvention from the proximal point of view shown the anchoring latch (22)in communication with a key (23). Said key is possibly attached to alever. The body of said anchoring device is having a planar top and agradually elliptical member attached to it in the distal rim, designedto fit by means of size and shape the gradually elliptical opening atthe top cover of the boom pocket defined above (10 b, FIG. 2), thusenabling a rapid insertion of the distal latch (22) inside said pocket.Said distal latch is having one or more lock mechanism (27). Twistingthe key (23A) is follows with the rotation of the extension (23B), whichpotentially contain the key axle and the exit of the lock mechanism (27)outside the distal latch (22), thus locking the anchoring device insidethe boom pocket of the container. A pulley (20) having a semi-openopening (21) is adapted to accommodate the cable. Said pulley is incommunication with and axle having lagers.

Reference is made now to FIG. 5, presenting an anchoring deviceaccording another preferred embodiment of the present invention from theproximal point of view (A). FIG. 5 is showing the anchoring latch (22A)in communication with the lever (23) by means of a longitudinal axle.The body of said anchoring device is having a planar top and a graduallyelliptical member attached to it, designed to fit by means of size andshape the gradually elliptical opening at the top cover of the boompocket defined above (10 b, FIG. 2), thus enabling a rapid insertion ofthe distal latch (22) inside said pocket. From the same point of view(13), said elliptical latch (22A) is twisted to about 90 degrees bymeans of a lever 23. Said lever is forced to a predetermined movement bythe holding members (23C), thus locldng the anchoring device inside theboom-pocket. Here again, a pulley (20) which is having a semi-openopening (21) is adapted to accommodate the cable. Said pulley is incommunication with and axle having lagers.

As was defined above, the assembly according to the present invention isalternatively having means to be dressed on the container. Said meansare comprises at least one wing to be mounted on the container side (orrear-) wall and an anchoring device, designed to be affixed on eitherthe side wall rear wall, and/or the upper wall of said container. A sideview of another preferred embodiment of the present invention ispresented in FIG. 6. The container is covered by a sheet membercomprising the advertisement so both side walls (51 and 52) and the rearopening, are at least partly covered by said sheet. The sheet presentedin FIG. 6 and any other sheet advertisement member is affixed to saidcontainer by the assembly defined in the present invention, namely bymagnets, electromagnets, assemblies comprising pin attached to the boompocket or any other available reversible, non-destructive and rapidmeans. It is in the scope of the present invention wherein a ratchet orany suitable means is in communication with a cable providing the tenseframe of the advertisement sheet. In particularly, said ratchet isaffixed to one anchoring device. In case of an advertisement sheethaving a tent like configuration, as presented in FIG. 6, said ratchetmay be affixed to anchoring device of every side wall and/or toparticipate in the structure-assembly of more then one of said walls. Itis also acknowledged that said advertisement dressed on said cargocontainer is mounted by means of a cable, affixed to the anchoringdevices at the respectively low positioning of the container, whereinthe cable is being tense by means of a ratchet (23) located in onanchoring device.

1. An assembly especially adapted for a rapid, reversible andnon-destructive mounting of an advertisement sheet on a wall of a cargocontainer, having at least one anchoring device adapted to mate withsaid container, without causing any permanent damage or alternation ofsaid container.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1; wherein saidcontainer has boom-pockets, especially designed to enable the lifting ofsaid container by a cargo boom, wherein said boon-pockets have agradually elliptical opening; said assembly comprising; a. an anchoringdevice, adapted to reversible and non-destructive mate with said pocket;b. a cable; c. an advertisement sheet having sleeves in at least two ofits edges, adapted to accommodate said cable.
 3. The assembly accordingto claim 2, wherein the anchoring device is having a pin membercomprising; a. a proximal rim characterized by having a lever andgradually round shape opening, adapted to accommodate a frame cable; andb. a distal rim characterized by a gradually elliptical cross section;wherein said disatal rim is adapted to mate with said elliptical openingof the boom pocket by means of shape and size, so when said distal rimis in congruence with said pocket, the insertion of said pin into saidopening is enabled; and when said pin is twisted to about 90° from saidcongruence configuration, the exit of said pin from said pocket isprevented.
 4. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the anchoringdevice is having gradually a round shape cross section, and comprising;a. a proximal rim having a lever, and an opening adapted to accommodatea frame cable; b. a distal rim having anchors in connection with saidlever; wherein said anchors are designed to be located either inside thebore of said device, or alternatively, to partly protrude outside ofsaid bore, thus to enable the anchoring of said device inside theboom-pocket of the container.
 5. The assembly as defined in claim 2,useful for mounting an advertisement sheet having a sleeve is its edge,on a side wall of container comprising; a. an anchoring device havingmeans to reversible and non-destructive mating of said sheet with saidcontainer; b. a cable, having means to connect said sleeve and saidanchoring device.
 6. The assembly as defined in claim 5, additionallycomprising a ratchet having means to provide tension to said cable. 7.The assembly as defined in claim 5, wherein the ratchet is anchored to aboom-pocket by means of the anchoring device.
 8. The assembly as definedin claim 1, wherein the opening is a bore in the proximal rim of theanchoring device having gradually round cross section.
 9. The assemblyas defined in claim 1, wherein the opening is a pulley attached to theproximal rim of the anchoring device, in communication to an axle havinglagers.
 10. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein the anchoringdevice is adapted to mate the advertisement sheet with the wall of thecontainer by means selected from vacuum and magnetic force.
 11. Theassembly according to claim 10 wherein the magnetic force is enabled bymeans of electromagnets that are in communication with an electricsource, selected from the vehicle battery or any other battery designedto supply sufficient power to said electromagnets.
 12. The assemblyaccording to claim 1 additionally having means to be dressed on thecontainer, having at least one wing to be mounted on the container sidewall and an anchoring device, designed to be affixed on either the sidewall, the upper wall, the rear wall or the frontal wall of saidcontainer.
 13. The assembly according to claim 1, additionallycomprising a wind deflector having means to attach at least one rim ofthe sheet to the wall of the container.
 14. The assembly according toclaim 1, additionally comprising means to illuminate said advertisementsheet.
 15. The assembly as defined in claim 1, adapted to mountadvertisement sheet on walls, truck side walls, constructions or anysuitable board.
 16. The assembly according to claim 15, comprising atleast one adapter, having either reversible or irreversible means tomount the opening accommodates the cable and/or a ratchet, on a suitableboard.
 17. A method for the deployment of the anchoring device asdefined in claim 1, comprising mating the advertisement sheet by meansof said anchoring device without any constant damage or any alternationof said container.
 18. The method according to claim 17, comprising; a.mating the anchoring devices according to claim 3 to the wall of thecontainer, by means of: i inserting each of said anchoring device,comprising gradually elliptical end at its distal rim, to the opening ofa boom-pocket, comprising gradually elliptical cross section, so saidelliptical end of said pin is congruence to the gradually ellipticalopening; ii twisting said pin member by means of its lever to about 90°,respectively to said congruence position, so said device in anchored insaid boom-pocket; b. inserting a cable through the sleeve of theadvertisement sheet and to the opening located in the proximal end ofeach of said anchoring device; and c. locking said cable so saidadvertisement is effectively mounted on said side wall of the container.19. The method according to claim 17, wherein said locking is providedby means of a operating a ratchet.
 20. The method according to claim 17,wherein the mating comprising the steps of; a. inserting each of saidanchoring device, to the opening of a boom-pocket; b. twisting the leverof said device and thus anchoring the device in said boom-pocket.